1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a quilted border system and a method used in the manufacture of a border section for the outer layer of mattresses and box springs. More particularly, this invention relates to a system, a border winder apparatus and the method for manufacturing quilted borders for mattresses and box springs in a simple, reliable and efficient manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the bedding products industry, it is common to produce mattresses and/or box springs having finished outer surfaces constructed with ornate fabric, called "ticking", that is quilted with layers of foam and/or other synthetic resin materials. A typical mattress or box spring has a top surface, a bottom surface and four sides between the top and bottom surfaces. The connecting sides are commonly referred to as the "border" of the mattress or box spring. The border is typically constructed of a strip of quilted ticking and is referred to as a "quilted border."
Traditionally, quilted border material was made with a quilting machine in conjunction with a roll winding machine or "winder." A full-width roll of ticking, approximately eight feet wide is fed into the quilting machine and, upon exiting the now quilted ticking is cut into varying widths, usually 7 to 15 inches, appropriate for use as border material for a mattress or a box spring. After the quilted ticking is cut into widths, each of the resulting border strips is simultaneously wound onto a common shaft of the winder. Upon completion of the quilting, cutting and winding of an entire roll of ticking, the shaft is removed from the winder and each roll of border material is removed from the shaft and is used to construct finished mattresses or box springs or is stored as inventory. During this removal process, the quilting machine, the cutting machine and the winder must be brought to a halt so that the finished border rolls may be removed. Thereafter, the shaft is replaced and a new full-length roll of ticking is fed into the machinery and the process cycle is begun again.
The process just described is moderately efficient when large quantities of a single type of quilted border material are needed for immediate production. However, problems exist with this process. One problem is the time lost during changeovers when one roll of quilted ticking is removed and a new roll of ticking is installed. The operator is required to remove a large, heavy shaft containing a number of border rolls. Another problem occurs because the border material is cut into individual border strips after quilting occurs. A quantity of border material suffers from "run-back skips," a term referring to an edge defect. This defect occurs when a seam in a piece of quilted ticking is cut while the thread comprising the seam is under tension. Because the thread is under tension, it quickly loosens and the edge of the quilted ticking may separate. Another potential problem is that a portion of the strip of quilted ticking may "gather" or "bunch." Either of the last two mentioned conditions renders the resulting border material defective.
In addition to the preceding problems, the demands of the marketplace have led to additional problems. Manufacturers are required to offer a large variety of ticking material of different quality levels and having different weaves and printed patterns. Also, a manufacturer often receives orders for bedding products requesting a variety of such ticking materials. This requires the production of a number of different products within a short period of time. Also, during periods of production of large quantities of bedding products containing more popular ticking material, manufacturers are often required to fill smaller orders for less popular material or even to fill a small order for a product containing a particular of ticking on a "quick-ship" basis.
A manufacturer will also occasionally have to produce additional border material containing a different type of ticking to repair damaged borders on completed mattresses and box springs. When traditional manufacturing techniques are employed, these conditions have increased inventory levels of less popular or unused border material due to the requirement that a full-width roll must be run. Productivity is lowered due to the lost time associated with increased changeovers of rolls and increased material handling given the large number of individual border rolls per full-width roll. Furthermore, aesthetics suffer due to the increased number of splices required in the finishing product because of the increased number of shortened border strips produced when a full-width roll is interrupted for a small order production.
A definite need has existed for solutions to these problems. Until now a workable, efficient solution could not be found.